The energy company is in the final stages of talks with a number of UK agencies, ­including Edelman, for a brief that will include crisis comms.

It faces allegations of conniving with the Government to get the go-ahead for a new coal-fired station in Kent without carbon-capture equip­ment. The row erupted after Greenpeace unearthed emails between E.ON and government officials.

Both Greenpeace and the World Development Movement (WDM) have argued that the contentious Kings­north plans undermine the Government's commitment to cutting carbon emissions. ‘We're excited that E.ON is hiring an expensive PR agency, as it means this power station will be pushed to the top of the public agenda,' said WDM press officer Katie Blagojevic.

E.ON head of public ­affairs and community relations Jonathan Smith con­firmed it was looking to hire a PR agency, but said: ‘The full nature of the work has yet to be decided.'